If you’ve checked your social media recently, you may have noticed profile pictures with a blue background. This is how some are showing solidarity with the peaceful demonstrators in Sudan who, in the face of extreme violence and a near-total internet blackout, are demanding a civilian government.
Last December, the Sudan Professionals Association (SPA), an umbrella organization of trade unions, organized a large demonstration in Khartoum, the nation’s capital, focused on the dire economic situation in the country. The public outpouring grew as people took to the streets in more than 90 locations throughout Sudan. These new protests, triggered by price hikes and food shortages, quickly developed into anti-government protests and inspired even more actions around the country. The SPA decided to change its target: Instead of focusing on the economy, the SPA began to demand the removal of the military-led regime.
Sudan is not new to nonviolent revolutions. The Sudanese took to the streets in organized mass demonstrations and general strikes that ended dictatorships in 1964 and 1985. But they didn’t always end well. In 2013, for instance, protests were met by the killing of nearly 200 people. After this horrible event, leaders of Sudanese civil society revisited their strategies, focusing on underground organizing and training in nonviolent action and civil resistance.
The current campaign is reaping the fruits of those efforts. In early April, protesters held a sit-in at military headquarters and invited members of the armed forces to stand with the people. Many thought the action couldn’t be sustained, but those betting against the people were proven wrong. The sit-in developed into a well-organized, 24/7 demonstration. All kinds of groups set up tents to highlight their issues and demands; a professional stage was donated where musical acts and political speeches took turns.
Every evening, thousands of people, including entire families with small children, visited the sit-in. It became a microcosm of what the Sudanese people crave: a place of free expression through arts, discussions, and tolerance. Not only did the sit-in provide a podium for people from neglected areas across Sudan, but it also demonstrated respect between religions. This was poignantly expressed when, during Ramadan, Christians provided shelter from the burning sun for their Muslim compatriots to pray.
On April 11, the dictator Omar al-Bashir was toppled. Unfortunately, his allies were quick to take over, forming the Transitional Military Council. However, the people recognized the council as a new version of the Bashir regime, albeit with a slight makeover. The protests continued, demanding the transition to a civilian government.
Negotiations between the protesters and the military council continued. Just before a deal was struck, Sundanese security forces attacked the peaceful demonstrators. More than 100 people were killed, women were raped, and bodies were dumped in the Nile. Tents in the sit-in area were burned; art was painted over.
In reaction, the Sudan Professionals Association called for a general strike that brought the whole country to a halt. The military council shut down the internet for several weeks.
This is a difficult moment in Sudan, but there is hope. The Sudanese people have tasted freedom and have seen the effectiveness of nonviolent action firsthand. They have stayed peaceful in the face of violent attacks. And while international bodies test various mediation efforts and power-sharing arrangements, the Sudanese continue their nonviolent protests demanding a civilian government.
Nico Plooijer provides strategic support for nonviolent action through PAX in the Netherlands.
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